The University Hospital of North Durham still has restrictions in place regarding visits to patients – see the hospital website for the latest information. However, the Catholic Chaplain is still able to visit patients, and can bring them Holy Communion and the Sacrament of the Sick. If you know of a patient who wishes for a visit from the Catholic Hospital Chaplain, please inform Fr Paul Tully on 01388 818544 or frpaultully@outlook.com 

For visits to patients in St Cuthbert’s Hospice, in care homes or in their own homes, please contact Fr Andrew.

St Godric’s will be open on Monday and Wednesday of this week, 2.00-3.00 pm. St Joseph’s will be open from 2.00-3.00 pm on Tuesday and Thursday. For full details including this week’s Mass times, see www.durhammartyrs.co.uk/post/information-on-reopening-for-mass-and-private-prayer

Please check the parish website, www.stcuthberts-durham.org.uk for regular updates. If you’re not already subscribed to our weekly e-newsletter, you can subscribe here. Also check the ‘St Cuthbert’s Church, Durham’ page on Facebook – from there, you can join our new Facebook group, ‘St Cuthbert’s Parish Community,’ which already has more than 100 members.

We have a network of parishioners who are keeping in touch via telephone, while social distancing is in force. If you would like to be contacted regularly (especially if you don’t have internet access), or if you know someone who would welcome such contact, please contact Fr Andrew on 0191 3843442 or parish.priest@stcuthberts-durham.org.uk.

 If you can, please consider switching to make your regular contribution to the Parish via a bank Standing Order. For details, contact Andy Doyle on andydoyle1066@sky.com or 0798 543 4185

The August edition of our diocesan newspaper is now available, online only, at www.northerncross.org.uk The Northern Cross is facing significant financial difficulties as a result of the coronavirus pandemic – please consider supporting the paper by taking out an online or print subscription, via the website or by post: Subscriptions Dept, Northern Cross, c/o WM Fortune & Son, Collingwood House, Church Square, Hartlepool, TS24 7EN.

CAFOD has joined forces with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to help millions of vulnerable people whose lives are at risk as the coronavirus pandemic spreads across refugee camps and countries suffering conflict. Find out more, and donate, at www.cafod.org.uk

The Society of St Vincent de Paul is continuing to operate during the pandemic. You can find information, and resources aimed at children and young people, at  www.svp.org.uk and www.instagram.com/svpyoungvincentians/  

Today’s Gospel begins with Jesus receiving the news of the death of John the Baptist. He and his disciples go off to a lonely place, probably intending to grieve and pray in peace. But there is no peace for Jesus. The crowds come and find him, out in the countryside. Matthew tells us that Jesus took pity on the people – in the original Greek of the Gospel, that he was ‘moved with compassion’ for them. Even when he was sad and grieving himself, Jesus didn’t stop caring for the people. He healed their sick and then, seeing that they were hungry, he gathered the crowd together and fed them, working a miracle with the little food that his disciples were able to bring.

The miracle of the Feeding of the Five Thousand points to the greatest miracle of our faith. Jesus feeds us with his own body and blood in the Eucharist. It is when we gather for Mass that we are most fully the Church; Vatican II teaches that our celebration of the Eucharist is the ‘source and summit’ of our life as a Church. The coronavirus pandemic has made it impossible for us to gather and eat together. We have had to wait patiently to celebrate the Eucharist again, and now we have to resume our celebration gradually and cautiously, making sure that we keep everyone as safe as possible.

But we are still a Church, even when we are apart. Jesus is still moved with compassion for us, his disciples. He still heals us and feeds us with his Word, and he still calls us to show care and compassion for one another. God pours out his gifts upon us, even in the most difficult times.

St Cuthbert’s Church will be open for private prayer this week on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 5.00-6.00pm each day. Everyone is welcome to visit the church for private prayer, but you must follow the instructions of the stewards who are on duty, and comply with the requirements of social distancing, in order to keep everyone safe.

Mass will be celebrated at St Cuthbert’s on Sunday 9th August at 10.00am. The capacity of the church is limited to 36 people under the diocesan Risk Assessment. If you wish to attend Mass, you must request a place, by emailing office@stcuthberts-durham.org.uk or telephoning 0191 384 3442. You will be asked to give a contact telephone number. If you come to church without having booked a place at Mass, you may be asked to leave. 

Please do not come to church if you are in the ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ group, if you are showing any of the symptoms of Covid-19, or if you have any concerns about your safety. The obligation to attend Sunday Mass has been dispensed by the Bishops until further notice.

Volunteers are needed to clean the church after each opening. If you can help this week, please get in touch by telephone or email, as above. Volunteers are also needed to act as stewards. Please note the  following, from the Diocesan Handbook for the Reopening of Churches: 

‘Stewards and cleaners must not be drawn from the clinically extremely vulnerable group who are shielding. Those in the clinically vulnerable group, including people aged 70 or over, could be at a higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus. The clinically vulnerable group are advised to stay at home as much as possible and, if they do go out, take particular care to minimise contact with others outside their household or support bubble. Those from this group who still wish to volunteer will be asked to confirm that they have read and understood the Diocesan Handbook for Re- Opening of Churches and HM Government Guidance on Staying alert and safe (social distancing.)’ 

If, having considered this information, you wish to volunteer to assist with the reopening of churches, you can do so in any of the churches of our Partnership which are opening. To volunteer, please contact Fr Andrew on parish.priest@stcuthberts-durham.org.uk or 0191 384 3442.

On Sundays, Fr Andrew will lead an online reflection on the week’s Gospel reading.

On Sunday 2 August at 11:00am on Zoom – a shared reflection on today’s Gospel reading. For details of how to take part, join the ‘St Cuthbert’s Parish Community’ Facebook group, or email Fr Andrew on parish.priest@stcuthberts-durham.org.uk Fr Andrew’s homily will also be recorded and posted on Facebook.